The fire brigade was introduced to the Government of Western Region by the then Premier of the region- Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The Government of the region approved the establishment of the fire brigade (now Fire Services) and was established in the year 1959.

The foundation of the headquarter of fire brigade (now fire services) was laid by Chief Obafemi Awolowo at the premises of secretariat Agodi, Ibadan in the year 1959.

In August 1963, fire brigade (now fire services) was officially opened by Chief J.O. Odeleye Fadahunsi the then Honourable Commissioner for Home Affairs under the foreign Expatriates – Chief Fire Officer Keeble and Fleming before Mr. A. Anthony a Nigerian took over the leadership from foreign expatriates in 1972.

The Oyo State Fire Services under the Ministry of Local Government and Information took off after the creation of state on the 1^stApril 1976 under the leadership of Chief fire Officer Lekan Adeleye with a compliment of 308 personnel comprising of 15 senior officers and 293 ranks and files out which 35 of them were deployed to Ondo and Ogun States respectively.

As the State Government is fully aware of the aftermath of any outbreak of fire such as loss of lives, properties, etc. as at today Oyo State Government had increased the number of fire services station to 15 fifteen namely:

1. Fire Services headquarters – Secretariat, Ibadan.
2. Mapo Fire Station – Mapo
3. Molete Fire Station – Molete
4. New Gbagi Fire Station – New Gbagi
5. Agbowo Fire Station – Agbowo
6. Alesinloye Fire Station – Alesinloye
7. Agugu Fire Station – Agugu
8. Oyo Fire Station – Oyo
9. Ogbomoso Fire Station – Ogbomoso
10. Ultra Modern Fire Station – Ogbomoso
11. Saki Fire Station – Saki
12. Iseyin Fire Station – Iseyin
13. Kisi Fire Station – Kisi
14. Eruwa Fire Station – Eruwa
15. Igboora Fire Station – Igboora

• URBAN ELECTRIFICATION

All the projects under this are geared towards improving the deplorable electrical infrastructure in urban and rural centres. If these projects are pursued to logical conclusion, it will in no small measure contribute to social well being of the citizens by way of providing security for lives and property.

• TRANSPORTATION

If all these capital projects are properly funded and executed as proposed it will help in provision and maintenance of good road network throughout the state that will enhance economic activities of the citizenry.

It will make more revenue accrued to the government which in turn, will be used for the provision of essential social infrastructure for the benefit of the populace.

• GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

Advising government on policy matters in respect of Public Buildings and the Construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of Public Buildings.

There are eight Departments in the Ministry comprising five operational and three services departments namely: Highways, Mechanical and Electrical, Vehicle Administration Department, Public Buildings, Fire Services, Administration and Supplies, Finance and Accounts and Planning, Research and Statistics.

• HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT
• PREAMBLE

The Highways Department is involved in the following activities as the need arises:

1. Design of roads, culverts and bridges
2. Construction of roads, culverts and bridges
3. Supervision of construction works
4. Appointment of consultants for Design and Supervision of Road Projects
5. Consultancy Services to Ministries and other Agencies on Civil Engineering related matters
6. Structural Design and Supervision of Public buildings
7. Granting of right-of-way permit and reinstatement of roads damaged by Mobile Telecommunication companies due to cable laying activities
8. Approval for construction of speed breakers
9. Response to petitions from the Public
10. Operation of Soil Material Testing Laboratory.

• OPERATIONS

The highways department has been engaged in all the above mentioned activities.  From the inception to date, the present Administration has awarded 79 road projects covering all the zones of the State out of which 66 have been fully completed, however with some outstanding interim certificates and or retention fees.

PROGRESS REPORT OF ACTIVITIES – HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT

• MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT

The department is responsible for the design, construction, installation, maintenance repair and supervision of all Mechanical and Electrical projects of Government Buildings. It’s also in-charge of all government plants, vehicles and equipment. It also handles direct labour work on Mechanical and Electrical installations, maintains street lighting and traffic light installations in the State. The list of some projects currently being handled by the Department is attached as Annexures I and II.

It is also responsible for the processing of electricity bills from various Government Ministers/Agencies to the Ministry of Finance for monthly settlement.

CONSTITUENT UNITS AND FUNCTIONS

The Department has two divisions namely:

• Mechanical Division Comprising
• Plumbing unit which handles the installation, repairs
• Refrigeration and Air conditioning unit which handles installations and maintenance of a/cs, fridges and freezers
• Plant and vehicles units.
• Electrical Division comprising
• Street lighting unit
• Traffic lighting unit
• Electricity bill processing unit
• Secretariat Power House Unit
• General electrical design installations and maintenance unit

PROGRESS REPORT OF ACTIVITIES – ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT

• Making provision for firefighting services for each area of authority and securing such equipment as it is practicable, for the purpose of meeting the requirement of the area.
• Making provisions for the training of members of the fire services.
• Making provision and securing arrangement for dealing with calls for the assistance of fire service in case of fire and summoning members of fire services.
• Securing arrangement for obtaining by inspection or otherwise information required for fire fighting purpose with respect to the character of buildings and other property in its area of Authority, the availability of water supplies and means of access thereto and other material circumstances.
• Securing arrangements for ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to prevent or mitigate damage to property resulting from measures taken in dealing with fire in the area of Authority.

Since all functions in the fire service are inter-related, the Department is sub-divided into six divisions under the overall supervision of the Director Fire Services.

They are:

• Technical Supervision and Administration
• Firefighting and Rescue Operation.
• Fire Prevention and Consultancy Services.
• Training School.
• Maintenance and Transport.
• Purchase, Installation and Store

• TECHNICAL SUPERVISION AND ADMINISTRATION

It sees to the general administration of the Department in terms of welfare, appointment, promotions and discipline of staff of the Department under Fire Services Discipline Regulations, 1970. It handles external and internal training programmers which yield revenue into the State Government coffers. Purchase of Fire Tender, Equipment, Uniform and all store materials are often initiated from this section and to ensure that necessary firefighting facilities are provided, throughout the state.

Oyo state fire service has a total strength of 320 personnel of different ranks distributed across the state.

Distribution of fire stations

• There are fifteen (15) Fire Stations spread all over Oyo state. The stations are located as tabulated below;

Based on the above, the Executive Governor has given consideration to establish additional 13 fire stations especially in 13 local Governments that have no fire station in order to supplement the existing ones.

• FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE OPERATION

This division controls all operational activities of the Department which has been committed to saving of lives and properties occasioned by Fire Outbreak and mishaps like Fire Fighting, Rescue from Road Accidents, Salga, stream, drowned person, human beings or animals in distress, Military or Civil Air Craft accident, Collapse of building, Train derailment, major disaster and all other operations in which live is involved

• FIRE PREVENTION AND CONSULTANCY

This Division’s main responsibility is to create awareness in the minds of the people about fire prevention in order to make them fire conscious. It also offered advice to industries and the general public on matters relating to fire prevention. This action has reduced Fire disasters from 80% to 50%.

• MAINTENANCE AND TRANSPORT

The Fire Department maintains a stand-by and fairly equipped workshop so that attention can be given to its fire fighting vehicles both functional and non-functional vehicles. This section has been able to help the Department revived most of the Fire Fighting Trucks that are old with their infatigable efforts.

• PURCHASE, INSTALLATION AND STORE

Although, this Division is independent, its operation is closely monitored and controlled by the technical supervision and administration in terms of purchase of firefighting equipment, spare parts, uniforms including sewing of uniforms for serving officers and recruits.

• TRAINING SCHOOL

This Division undertakes the training of new Intakes, Serving Officers and fire Officers from outside bodies. It has trained staffs from B. A.T.H, Nigeria Port Authority, Procter and Gamble, University of Ibadan etc on Fire Fighting/Prevention Course.

The Department is sub-divided into six divisions under the overall supervision of the Director Fire Services of which each sections carried out the following activities.

1. Fire Fighting and Rescue operation

• Fire Calls :-
• Rescue operation :-

2. Fire Prevention

Fire safety inspections and lectures were always carried out to the following   companies/industries to ensure adequate safety precautionary measure.

• Industries
• High Rise Building
• New site petrol station
• Existing petrol station
• Fire prevention lecture

3. Training school

Oyo State Fire Services training school trained about 100 persons both serving officers and industrial staff within the state on various courses in firefighting and other related subjects. Among the companies or Organizations are:

1. Procter and Gamble
2. British American Tobacco Company.

The Department of Public Buildings in the Ministry of Works & Transport has the responsibility of advising Government on policy matters in respect of Public Buildings in Oyo State.  It engages in the designing, costing, and supervision of construction of Public Buildings.  It also carries out repairs, renovation, rehabilitation, refurbishing, restoration and other maintenance operations on existing Government quarters, Schools, Office buildings, Hospitals among others.

The department engages in designing and implementing projects on landscaping, interior decoration and furnishing.  It serves as Monitoring Consultants on Public Building Projects being handled by external Consultants and Contractors.   It regulates the design and construction of buildings in Government Reservation Areas, Private Hospitals, Private School, and other private initiative, which are meant for public use.

The department designs and produces furniture for use in Schools, Government Quarters, Offices and other public buildings.  It also produces high quality sandcrete blocks and ancillary products for building construction at reasonable cost for use of Government and entire public.

The department has four zonal offices located at Eleyele I(Ibadan), Oyo, Ogbomoso and Saki as well as an operational base called the Yard Superintendent Office within the Secretariat, Complex for urgent maintenance assignments.

The list of some of the on-going assignments that the Department is currently handling is as shown below:

1. Raising of Estimate for Renovation and Rehabilitation of the following:

• Renovation of Secondary School Buildings in Oyo State
• Renovation of Buildings of all the Ministries within the Secretariat complex.
• Renovation of Lekan Salami Sports Pavilion, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
• Renovation of Buildings at School of Nursing and Midwifery, Eleyele, Ibadan.
• Renovation of Governor’s Office and Deputy Governor’s Office.
• Renovation of Estate Management Department Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.
• Renovation of Veterinary Complex at Otu, Iseyin, Oyo State.
• Collapsed fence at Cattle post at Iseyin.

2. Designing of the followings:

• Model Schools for Oyo State.
• Model Skills Acquisition Centre in each of the Senatorial Districts f Oyo State.
• Design of Abattoir for Ultra-Modern Business Complex, Ogbomoso.
• Fire Service Stations in different location in Oyo State.
• Gem Stone International Buying Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

3. Supervision of Construction of the followings:

• Archive Management Centre behind Ministry of Information, Secretariat, Ibadan.
• Construction of Neighbourhood Market Scout Camp.
• Construction of standard unit Technical Workshop and Laboratory(Botaved)
• Renovation of Executive Gymnasium Centre for Oyo State Sports Council, Mokola Hill, Ibadan.
• Multi-Purpose Hall at Pilgrims Welfare Bard (Christian Wing), premises, Total Garden, Ibadan.
• Hostel Block at Pilgrims Welfare Bard (Christian Wing), premises, Total Garden, Ibadan.
• Construction of Administrative building, Toilet, Car Park at Pilgrims Welfare Board Olodo (Muslim Wing).
• Zonal Offices for Board of Internal Revenue at various locations in Oyo State (Phase 1).
• District Offices Buildings for Board of Internal Revenue at various locations in
• Oyo State (Phase II).
• Hostel Block for Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
• Prototype Library/Civic Centre at various Local Governments in Oyo State.
• Swimming Pool at Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan.
• Youth Centre, Durbar, Oyo.
• Vehicle Inspection Offices at Oyo and Saki.
• Deed Registry for Ministry f Lands, Housing and Survey, Secretariat, Ibadan.
• Block Wall Fencing of Approved Boys School, Igboho.
• Construction of Buildings at Akufo and Ijaye Farm Settlements.
• Construction and Equipping Proto-Type Maternal and Paediatric Centre in Jericho, Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, Jericho Nursing Home, Ibadan, State Hospital, Saki and Idi-Ito, Monatan axis Ibadan.
• Construction of Glass Toilet Cubicles with PVC water closets for the offices of the Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties.

4. Supervision of the following Repair and Renovation Works:

• Renovation of Main Assembly Hall at Staff Training Centre, Samonda, Ibadan
• Repair and Renovation of BOTAVED Buildings Headquarters and Workshops
• Rehabilitation and Redevelopment of Agodi Botanical and Zoological Garden, Ibadan
• Renovation of Buildings at School of Nursing and Midwifery, Eleyele, Ibadan
• Remodeling of Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan.
• Fire Service Stations in different location in Oyo State.
• New Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring road, Ibadan.

5. Routine Inspection of Private Schools and Hospitals for Registration by Government.
6. Staff Strength (Professional and Technical Officers)

The Administration of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) was restructured for improved performance on Road Tax Laws and Motor Vehicle Administration for improved revenue and safety returns on 13^th May, 2013.

Vehicle Inspection is a procedure mandated by the national or Sub-national government in many countries, in which a vehicle is expected to ensure that it conforms to regulation governing safety, emission or both. The aim of Vehicle Inspection, whether the vehicle is a Public Service Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle, or Private, is to find out whether the vehicle is mechanically sound as the Law requires. Roadworthiness inspection and examination ensure that major safety items, e.g. (Tyre, brake, steering, suspension system, seat belt, lamp and reflection, windscreen, wiper, emission and chassis are examined to ensure they meet the prescribed safety standard.

Brief information of our functions includes the following:

• Testing and inspection of vehicles involved in Road traffic accidents and production of crash inspection reports.
• Road Traffic Accident inspection.
• Conducting periodic road checks on vehicles to ascertain their extent of roadworthiness, the status of the particulars of the vehicles and drivers license and also verify weight.
• Traffic management, Monitoring and control.
• Testing of Applicants for drivers’ license.
• Organizing Public enlightment on road safety.
• Controlling and certification of driving schools across the state.
• Ensuring driver’s compliance to road traffic laws and regulations.
• To check excess/careless driving habits of motorists.
• To impound any rickety vehicles plying our highways.
• To curb/check over speeding.
• To ensure that only vehicle with relevant driving documents are allowed to ply our roads.
• Inspection of vehicles for issuance of roadworthiness certificates. Once in a year for private cars and twice yearly for commercial vehicles.
• Collaborating with the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Federal Road Safety for issuance of driver’s license.

OPERATIONAL/COMMAND OFFICES

At present, the Department has ten (10) operational command offices covering all the thirty-three (33) Local Government Areas. Ibadan alone has Four (4) zonal command offices in (i) Army officer’s mess area which we referred to as Iwo Road office (ii) OYSTROMA’s yard Eleyele (iii) Idi-Ayunre and (iv) Moniya. The offices at Idi-Ayunre and Moniya operates right in the premises of Oluyole and Akinyele Local Governments. The remaining six (6) zonal command offices are located in (i) Oyo (ii) Ogbomoso (iii) Iseyin (iv) Saki (v) Kisi and (vi) Eruwa/Igboora apart from the state headquarter which is in the secretariat. The commanding offices are located as follows:

• Eleyele Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station at the former SE yard Eleyele
• Iwo-Road Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station at Idi-Ape Area
• Moniya Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station at the premises of Akinyele Local Government
• Idi-Ayunre Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station at Oluyole Local Government
• Oyo Testinssg/Vehicle Inspection Station along Oyo/Iseyin road
• Ogbomoso Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station along old Oko road
• Iseyin/Okeho Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station along Iseyin/Okeho road
• Saki Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station along Saki/Oje-owode road
• Kisi Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station at Kisi/Igbeti road
• Eruwa Testing/Vehicle Inspection Station along Old Eruwa road

The traditional functions of this Department are General Administration of the Ministry and coordination of personnel activities in the Ministry. These activities include Appointment, Confirmation, Promotion, Posting, Discipline and other routine duties such as processing of retirement papers, transfers, certificate of service, annual and maternity leaves, gazette publications and training of staff.

2. The Department serves as the secretariat to the Ministry’s Management meetings. The Department also work in conjunction with the Finance and Accounts; and Planning and Statistics Department in preparing the Ministry’s annual estimates of Personnel Revenue and Expenditure. It also prepares statutory and periodic reports.
3. The Department consists of various categories of officers headed by Director, who is an administrative Officer and supported by two other Administrative Officers and sub-officers cadres namely: Executive, Clerical and Work Superintendent.
4. The Department has three registries namely:

(i)       Main Registry         –         in charge of policy files, dispatch and

receiving of mails

(ii)      Personnel Registry  –         in charge of personnel file. It also houses the

pension and records units

(iii)     Confidential Registry-       In charge of confidential issues. Handles

discipline and promotions.

5. Staff Promotion: In line with the approval of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, the Ministry has conducted the year 2012 promotion interview for all eligible officers in the management, senior and junior categories of staff.

6. Annual Leave:

Approval of annual leave is usually granted when the Director of such applicant must have endorsed it. Request from officers on GL. 08 -16 are usually approved by the Permanent Secretary. While the Director Administration and Supplies approves request of officers on GL. 01-07 except those on essential duties that has to be processed by the office of the Permanent Secretary.

7. Staff Strength

The Ministry has a total number of seven (7) Departments with six hundred and fifty-three (653) staff in the various cadres here under listed:

8. There are two batches of members of the National Youth Service Corps totaling 84 currently serving in the Ministry.

Finance and Accounts department of the Ministry is saddled with the responsibility of taking charge of all the financial activities and accounting duties of the Ministry. Other duties of the department include:-

• The Director (F & A) and Accountant are the Co-signatories to the Account of the Ministry.
• Advising in the disbursement of funds in the Ministry.
• Responsible for the development and installation of efficient accounting system of the Ministry with appropriate in built controls.
• Serving as member of Department all Tender Boards and advising on financial implications of contract terms.
• Collating the financial returns of Ministry for onward transmission to other M. D. A.
• Advising on the Control and management of fund.
• Taking charge of the disbursement of funds
• Directing replies to and advising the Accounting Officer on Audit and Public Accounts Committee queries.
• Interpretation of Financial Regulations and Treasury Circulars.
• Advising the Chief Executive Accounting Officer and other Department Head on accounting matters.
• Peerforming any other functions as may be assigned by the chief Executive/Accounting Officer of the Ministry/Department/Agency.

The Department of Planning Research and Statistics is responsible for the co-ordination of various activities of other departments of the Ministry by working in close collaboration with the Directors and all stakeholders. In line with the new Civil Service Reform, the two DIVISIONS approved for the department are Planning and Budget and Research and Statistics.

PLANNING AND BUDGET DIVISION

The functions of this division include the following:

• Development planning of those sectors of the economy that cover the Ministry’s Activities, viz; transportation, electrification and general administration. It also provides inputs for other Ministries in respect of other sectors like man power Development and general Administration requirements, etc.
• Monitoring of the Ministry’s areas of activities in the Development plan. The project monitoring team is to supervise and monitor all the projects being executed by the Ministry.  The team is expected to review progress on site from time to time and to identify constraints to progress and advise the Honourable Commissioner on measures to be taken in order to ensure that projects are executed within the financial provisions made for them.
• Planning of the Ministry’s programs, projects and activities.
• Preparation of Ministry’s Budget. The unit collects data from all other Departments and after due appraisal and in consultation with the office of the Budget and Planning, draws up a budget covering expected revenues, recurrent expenditures and capital projects to be embarked upon the following year. Preparation of tender documents and briefs on Highways, Building, Electrical, Mechanical and Fire Services projects.
• Consultancy Matters: The Planning Unit advises on Policy Matters regarding Consultancy Agreements in respect of Highways, Electrical, Mechanical and Fire Services Design Projects.  Claims from consultants engaged on Highways, Electrical, Mechanical and Fire Services projects are vetted in the Department before they are settled.
• Draft agreements are usually cleared with the Ministry of Justice.
• The Unit also advises on the registration of consultants.
• Vetting of Estimates: There is a directive that all estimates of direct labour projects to be undertaken by any Department in the Ministry must be vetted by a committee based in the Planning Unit.  The Committee is made up of a Civil Engineer, a Mechanical and Electrical Engineers and a Quantity Surveyor.

The committee’s decisions are usually passed to the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics who then makes a recommendation to the Permanent Secretary on how much should be approved for the execution of the job; for further necessary actions.

RESEARCH AND STATISTICS DIVISION

The Division is expected to collect and analyze various statistical information in respect of all activities of the Ministry.  It is to provide necessary inputs for the making of sound plans and strategic decisions for the Ministry. Other functions of the division are as follows:

• To conduct sectoral research into problems and areas of activities of the Ministry like Transportation-Highways construction and Maintenance, Building Construction and Maintenance, Mechanical and Electrical     Installations and maintenance and Fire Services Installations and maintenance.
• To oversee studies on operations, organization and management as well as overall performance of the Ministry.
• To carry out studies to determine and monitor the set of efficiency targets for the Ministry.
• To generate data on sectoral activities as well as in-house statistics of the Ministry. E.g. Inventory of the Ministry’s assets.
• To provide information on all activities of the Ministry (.e.g. manpower statistics) through a data bank kept in the division. The Data bank is to be serviced by a computer centre, the registries and a library.
• Road Traffic Survey: This is to be carried out on the state roads twice a year- June/July and December. e. g. ( Recent traffic census on the proposed Ibadan circular road ).
• Market Research, Price statistics on different items frequently used for direct labour projects as well as Major Contracts are collected frequently.

1. MR J.H KEEBLE – 1958 – 1966
2. MR A.F FLEMING – 1967 – 1971
3. MR. A. ANTHONY – 1972 – 1975
4. MR. J.A ADEYEMO – 1975 – 1976
5. ALHAJI LEKAN ADELEYE – 1976 – 1994
6. MR. J.O. ADEYEMI – 1994-  1997
7. ALHAJI R.O. ADEDEJI – 1997 – 1999
8. ALHAJI R.I.O. TIAMIYU – 1999 – 2002
9. ELDER E.L. KOLADE – 2002 – 2005
10. Mr. SALMON LAWAL – 2005 – 2006
11. ISMAIL. G. OLADIPO – 2006- 2011
12. KAREEM O.G – 2011- TILL DATE

OPERATION SECTION: This section attended to ten (4) fire calls during the period under review as detailed below.

FIRE PREVENTION SECTION: This section carried out inspections to six (6) Petrol Stations and one (1) new site during the period under review.

REVENUE GENERATED: Through source of revenue of Fire Service, the sum of One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira Only (N170, 000.00) during the period under review.

TRAINING SCHOOL SECTION:  NIL